


Just Like Flying

by LeoArcana



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fluff, Hot Weather, Swimming, Swimming Pools
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-16
Updated: 2013-10-16
Packaged: 2017-12-29 15:15:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1006919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeoArcana/pseuds/LeoArcana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With a trail gone cold and the weather heating up, the boys decide to check into a motel for the day.  One with a pool.  Castiel doesn't see the joy in swimming until Dean tells him it's just like flying.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Like Flying

“Dean, I believe we should be focusing on finding the vampires’ nest.”

“Cas…” Dean groaned, “We had no leads—”

“Which is why we should be—”

“—It’s sunny and hot, so they aren’t gonna be out runnin’ around drawing attention.”

Castiel pursed his lips, slightly irritated at the interruption.

“Plus we’re a little tired and this feels nice,” Dean added.

Castiel frowned and watched as the hunter drifted by on the pool’s surface, occasionally kicking his legs to help keep himself afloat.  The hunt had led them just a few hundred miles north to Nebraska, but it was the dead of summer and uncomfortably hot.  When the trail had gone cold, the boys had decided to just check in to a motel and sit in front of the AC unit.  However, walking around the corner of the motel, Gabriel had spotted a swimming pool. 

He’d wanted to go swimming right then, but none of them had any swim trunks to wear and Sam and Dean weren’t too keen on swimming in boxers.  A quick trip back into town had remedied that though.  Once they got back and changed, Gabriel all but dove in and quickly discovered he didn’t know how to swim.  Sam and Dean dove in after him; Sam getting to the former angel just before Dean and pulled him through the shallow end and hauled him up on the concrete.

Seeing that, Castiel had refused to get in the pool.  After some coaxing from the three other men, Castiel had agreed to at least sit with his feet in the pool.  It did feel quite nice, especially after how hot it had been in the Impala.  But he doubted that he knew how to swim either.

Nearly drowning hadn’t stopped Gabriel from getting back in, although Sam made sure he stayed where he could stand with his head above water.  Gabriel kept trying to get to the deep end just to rile Sam up, which, of course, meant Sam man-handling him back to the shallow end, much to his amusement and pleasure.  Castiel could see some amusement in Sam’s eyes as well.  He sighed and turned his gaze to Dean, drifting along lazily with his eyes closed and now enjoying the warmth of the sun.  He watched as Dean wrinkled his nose in annoyance whenever Sam and Gabriel had accidentally splashed him, and Castiel was sure that was accompanied by a half-hearted grumble.

“Dean, how long do you intent we stay here?” Castiel asked when he drifted by again. 

“I dunno, Cas,” he sighed, “Til it’s not frickin’ hot out.”

“The entire day then?”

“Maybe.”

Castiel made a noise of displeasure and Dean opened one eye in curiosity.  Castiel said nothing, choosing to keep watching Sam and Gabriel.  Dean rolled his eyes and righted himself in the water, putting his feet back to the pool’s bottom.  He waded over to edge where Cas sat, and held onto the edge, letting his legs float up a little.

“What’s the matter?” Dean asked.

“Nothing,” Castiel replied simply.

“You’re acting like you don’t wanna be here.”

“I think we might be wasting valuable time,” Castiel offered.

Dean stared at him.

“No, you don’t,” Dean said.

“What?”

“You don’t think that.  You’re just scared of the water,” Dean grinned, “Aren’t ya?”

Castiel shifted in his place, looking away sheepishly.  Dean rolled his eyes again and hoisted himself up on the edge of the pool.

“You can’t let what happened to Gabriel scare you,” Dean said, “It ain’t scarin’ him anymore.”

“Yes, well…Gabriel has always been strange.”

“Y’know, you might like swimming if you gave it a chance.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Kinda feels like flying,” Dean shrugged.

Castiel stared at him, hints of pain in his eyes.  Since becoming human, Castiel had gotten worse at hiding emotions.  But there was also a bit of curiosity in his eyes.  Dean clapped him on the shoulder before pushing off the edge and slipping back into the water.  He turned and held an arm out for Castiel to come in after him.  Castiel shifted, nervously biting his lip.

“C’mon, I’m not gonna let you drown,” Dean groaned.

Castiel knew that.  He trusted Dean to keep him safe and with the way he’d gone in with Sam after Gabriel, he knew the hunter wouldn’t let him drown.  He met Dean’s encouraging eyes and with one more word of encouragement from him, Castiel hesitantly slid into the water.  His feet hit the bottom of the pool and slipped, dropping him further in.  Dean reacted quickly, hooking his arms under Castiel’s and catching him just before his head went under.

“You okay?” Dean asked, pulling him back to his feet.

“Yes, thank you…” Castiel breathed, “But I do not believe that was anything like flying.”

“No, that was slipping and trying to drown,” Dean deadpanned, “Now, turn around.”

“Why?”

“I’m gonna show you how it’s like flying.”

“How?”

“You’re gonna do the same thing I was doing.”

“You were just floating in the water.”

Dean fixed him with a bitchface.

“Just turn around, Cas.”

The former angel complied, turning his back on Dean.  The hunter put his hands on Castiel again, just below his arms, and told him to lift his legs up.  Castiel would be lying if he said he didn’t feel lighter like this.  Dean held up a few seconds longer before he brushed Cas’ legs with his own to get him to left his legs all the way as he laid him back.

“Dean…” Castiel whimpered, feeling the water rise around him.

“Don’t be a baby, you’re fine,” Dean replied gruffly.

Castiel kept his mouth shut as the water continued up around him.  Once his head was in the water, he felt the water retreating from his torso and part of his legs, letting the sun bathe him in pleasant warmth.  The water lazily lapped at his ears, interfering with his hearing.  He heard Dean ask him if he was alright and he nodded, closing his eyes.  With that confirmation, he felt Dean’s hands slowly pulling away from him.  He sank a little further into the water, but not much; just enough for the water to deafen him.  Castiel opened his eyes and searched for Dean, only to find the hunter floating beside him; eyes closed.

Castiel hummed and stared up at the blue sky.  The sun blazed brightly, making the very few clouds appear to be shining.  Castiel let his mind wander, eyes drifting closed; between the sun’s warmth and the occasional cool breeze that swept over them, he soon forgot he was in a pool at a motel in Nebraska.  Dean had been right, it did feel like flying.  It reminded him of his days as a younger angel, just flying through the newly created skies and admiring what his father had created.

Not even the few stray drops of water from Sam and Gabriel’s splashing was enough to tear him from the reverie.  He was only hit a few times before it stopped; thank God Gabriel had finally lost his energy.  A few minutes later, he cracked his eye open and saw Sam and Gabriel by the stairs.  They weren’t getting out just yet, but Sam was sitting on the stairs, leaned against the wall with his arms spread along it.  Gabriel lay floating on his back as well; his head resting on Sam’s knee to keep himself from drifting away from the younger hunter.  Castiel smiled warmly, closing his eyes and letting his mind wander again.

He distantly felt himself bump against Dean’s shoulder.  He found himself lazily and blindly moving his hand through the water until he found Dean’s and gently took hold of it.

“Thank you, Dean,” Castiel murmured.


End file.
